1 definition
by
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Perhaps one of the most powerful ways of understanding coaching is from the end. If we know what we are intending to accomplish, we can correct our selves as we go along.

Coaching as being more than an accountability partner that supports someone in reaching his/her goals or as a disciplinarian who changes someone's unwanted actions. Instead coaching occurs in a bigger frame that sometimes includes these modalities but goes way beyond that.

Long-Term Excellent Performance:
Meaning the client meets the high objective standards of the discipline in which coaching is occurring. Standards are objective when they can be observed by any component person. For Example hitting a home run in baseball, nailing that lick in a song, sacking a quarterback w/ 5(sec) on the clock for the win, as is checkmate in a game of chess; however we must know something about each game to be able to observe these outcomes as favorable.
Self Correction:
Well-coached clients can observe when they are preforming well and when they are not. Making necessary adjustments independently of the coach. By keeping this criterion in mind, coaches can avoid the temptation of becoming indispensable and, instead, work to built the competence of their client.
Self Generation:
We, as people, can always improve, and well coached people know this and will find continually find ways on their own to do so.

They'll practice more, or they'll watch others preform, or learn an activity that will strengthen them in a new way that improves their competence.
From Flaherty's Book Coaching:
"I coached a man named Bob at a at a major oil Co. in California. Bob was referred to me by my friend Nancy, who worked as an internal human resources consultant. He was a competent and well-regarded accountant who traveled to various sites worldwide and audited drilling operations. But Bob had greater ambitions. He felt as if he were trapped by his own success, that management would never let him move on because he was doing such good work. at least that's what he told me. Bobs initial assumption was that by doing good work he would get noticed and promoted. when this didn't happen he blamed management for their shortsightedness and selfishness. This left Bob powerless; there was nothing he could do to change the thinking of his managers. Of course this is where a coach comes in. a coach is someone who build a respectful relationship with a client. Then researches the situation the client find themselves in. Coaches address both short and long-term views. Short in the sense that they support their clients in reaching their goals. Long term that the client will always have more challenges later and must be left competent to deal with these situations, while simultaneously conducting a fulfilling life."